Alibaba Group Holding Ltd BABA BABAF will be unveiling its second-quarter earnings on Friday, before market hours. Wall Street is expecting $2.10 in EPS and $33.95 billion in revenue, per Benzinga Pro data.
This comes as the Chinese e-commerce giant faces mounting competition from rivals like JD.com Inc JD and Pinduoduo Holdings Inc PDD, as well as a challenging macroeconomic environment that has tempered consumer spending in China.
Still, some analysts are optimistic that Alibaba’s growing international digital commerce and cloud segments could drive meaningful results, particularly as the company looks to diversify its revenue sources beyond the domestic market.
With Alibaba's core and cloud divisions in focus, investors hope for upbeat numbers amid a challenging economic climate in China.
Alibaba Chart Signals Hints At A Challenging Road Ahead
From a technical analysis perspective, Alibaba's stock currently reflects a bearish sentiment.
Chart created using Benzinga Pro
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Trading at $90.32, BABA stock sits below several key moving averages, including its five, 20 and 50-day exponential moving averages, suggesting a continuation of selling pressure in the near term. BABA stock trades below its eight-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) of $94.97 and its 20-day SMA of $97.39, reinforcing these bearish signals.
The Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) reading of a negative 2.01 supports a downward trend, though the Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 36.61 hints that Alibaba stock could be in the oversold territory soon.
This could offer a short-term relief rally, but the technical signals broadly imply caution leading into the earnings report.
Analyst Ratings, Price Targets Signal Optimism Despite Challenges
Despite the near-term technical indicators, analysts hold an overall positive outlook on Alibaba, with a consensus Buy rating. The average analyst price target of $120 suggests a potential upside of 32.86% from current levels.
The anticipated growth in Alibaba's cloud and international commerce could be the drivers that could help Alibaba navigate the current economic uncertainties.
In the broader context, Alibaba has shown resilience with a 20.83% gain year-to-date, although it has seen a 16.21% decline over the past month, reflecting investor caution ahead of the earnings.
With the Chinese economy in flux and competitive pressures high, all eyes will be on Alibaba's guidance for the upcoming quarters. If Alibaba can deliver strong growth in its cloud and international businesses, it could signal a turnaround, potentially setting the stage for a stock price rebound.
As Alibaba navigates these dynamics, Friday's earnings report will be pivotal in determining if this bullish narrative holds.
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